MCINTYRE RESOLUTION ON AFGHANISTAN PASSES INTERNATIONAL PANEL

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA—An international panel on military and economic affairs today passed a resolution authored by Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC) related to security in Afghanistan.

McIntyre, a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) secured passage of the measure in the third day of the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) in Vilnius, Lithuania. The resolution will now be considered for inclusion in the Assembly’s final document to be known as the Vilnius Declaration, which will help set policy for the OSCE in the year ahead. Parliamentarians from the 56 participating OSCE countries will vote on the Declaration Friday.

“This resolution demonstrates how Afghanistan can be held up as a standard to show that economic, agricultural, educational, political and military assistance can improve a country that has been a breeding ground for terrorists,” Congressman McIntyre said.

The resolution supports the OSCE efforts to help Afghanistan with border management training; calls for international cooperation to target assistance to Afghanistan; urges free and fair elections be held in the country; and supports international efforts to develop Afghanistan’s legitimate agricultural economy.

Congressman McIntyre’s resolution included an amendment from Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) that encourages Pakistan to become a Partner for Cooperation in the OSCE, like Afghanistan.

“The OSCE can be an example for the type of international cooperation we need in Afghanistan and beyond as we work to root out the seeds of terrorism,” McIntyre said.